Plaint vs. Punta SK chairman dismissed

The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas has cleared the chairwoman of the Sangguniang Kabataan in barangay Punta Princesa, Cebu City from complaint for alleged illegal use of government funds filed by an SK councilwoman of same barangay.

SK councilwoman Charlene Michelle Ruiz in her complaint filed before the Ombudsman last June alleged that their SK chair Marilyn Mar-Mier violated the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standard for Public Officials and Employees for allowing non-SK officials to join the four-day Lakbay Aral Tour in Tagaytay, Laguna and Manila which was supposedly intended only for barangay and SK officials as what was contained in the memorandum.

In her complaint, Ruiz said the barangay and SK officials appropriated P250,000 for that tour last November 19 to 23, 2003.

However, she and another SK councilman Aaron Kyle Cuizon were "left out from the trip" as she said she could not be absent from school. And in their stead, non-officials, "whose names were not included in the memorandum and who were not qualified to participate in the activity were allowed by Mar-Mier to travel" using the trip tickets of those who were not able to make it without their knowledge.

However, in her counter-affidavit, Mar-Mier denied Ruiz's allegation stating that it was not true she intentionally left out Ruiz from the Lakbay Aral activity in order to accommodate non-qualified participants. Mar-Mier said it was in fact Ruiz "who signed an authorization letter allowing Mark Jan Herrera to travel and participate on her behalf."

The same is true with Cuizon who consented to have Nino Dacayana take his place. Mar-Mier continued that she only submitted the names of those who were going to the tour and the rest that involved money matters such as the purchase of tickets were dealt by the barangay treasurer. And that she was not guilty of illegally using government funds as what Ruiz claimed, Mar-Mier said. - Liv G. Campo